as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
Helen of Troy was supposedly the quintessential beauty of the ancient world
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Recent Examples of quintessential
For nine years, guests filed into the quintessential diner, ordering the egg sandwich specials scrawled on a chalkboard and griddled pancakes browned by the flat top, which followed a recipe from Mitchell's grandfather.
—
Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
The surrounding peaks set a majestic tone, and the quintessential village of Metsovo (with its aforementioned ski slopes) is just a short drive from the property.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
This would be Maia (Sennott), a 27-year-old who lives on the east side with her cute schoolteacher boyfriend, Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), and works as an assistant to Alyssa (Leighton Meester as the quintessential millennial girlboss), a talent manager.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
At the always-hoppin' Hold Out Brewing, experience a quintessential Austin hangout.
—Kathryn Streeter, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quintessential
Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 31 Oct. 2025
The surrounding peaks set a majestic tone, and the quintessential village of Metsovo (with its aforementioned ski slopes) is just a short drive from the property.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
This would be Maia (Sennott), a 27-year-old who lives on the east side with her cute schoolteacher boyfriend, Dylan (Josh Hutcherson), and works as an assistant to Alyssa (Leighton Meester as the quintessential millennial girlboss), a talent manager.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025
At the always-hoppin' Hold Out Brewing, experience a quintessential Austin hangout.
—Kathryn Streeter, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quintessential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quintessential
Adjective
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That shot-on-film aspect lends to the film feeling like a throwback to classic coming-of-age movies, but with a chilling twist.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Nov. 2025
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But of course, for space nerds like us, lots of old, classic factions and debates pop out of this new framework.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Both were exemplary but had to be substituted due to injury.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Now, he’s being remembered as an exemplary leader.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Includes gardening tips to grow perfect perennials and chiles for every palate, plus articles on delicious Ukrainian food dishes and Christmas family traditions, banana recipe contest winners and practical life advice.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
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To this day, it's celebrated as one of the most iconic musical pairings ever captured on television — a shimmering handoff between generations and a snapshot of two powerhouse voices meeting in perfect harmony.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Part of how The Actors’ Gang achieves this success is through varied experimental theater techniques, including commedia dell’arte, an ancient form of performance art that teaches its subjects about archetypical characters.—
Senior Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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The archetypal trickster reemerged in popular culture in the 1970s, driven by the disillusionment and violence of the Vietnam War era.—
Time,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Anybody making a definitive call on McCarthy’s trajectory is missing the boat on the sample necessary to make those kinds of judgments.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
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The two men went on to co-author a definitive 1,500-page textbook on SAT.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Thus far, Arsenal’s excellent form has relegated the injuries to a subplot.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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The carbon nanofiber provides mechanical stability, abundant pore channels, and excellent electrolyte wettability, while the cobalt sites catalyze the adsorption and conversion of polysulfides.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quintessential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quintessential. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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